Experiencing Interruptions?

When Harlem Saved A King

When Harlem Saved a King is proposed as a 90 minute Documentary produced by JIREH Management Group Productions. When Harlem Saved A King will tell a story not known by many Americans both young and not-so-young. The story, this important piece of our history, was certainly not taught to any of us in school. It is a laser-focus examination of the time and the events leading up to and following September 20, 1958, the day Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was stabbed in the chest with a letter opener by a black woman. Her name was Izola Curry. The stabbing occurred during Dr. King’s signing of his book, Stride Towards Freedom, at a white department store in Harlem on 125th Street.

Hosted by Fox News Consultant Dr. Jeff Gardere, When Harlem Saved a King will take viewers back to 1958 in a 48 Hours-style mystery to both engage and educate the audience while exploring the answers to the questions: Who was Izola Curry? And, what happened to her after the assassination attempt? Why would a black woman/any black person try to kill Dr. King? Was there a conspiracy to kill Dr. King – even as early as 1958? What was happening in the country – and in Harlem in particular, politically and socially – in 1958, during the infancy of the civil rights movement? Was there jealousy among other black “leaders” and “clergy” towards Dr. King? Among whom? How did this manifest? Did the stabbing have an effect/impact on the Civil Rights Movement?
Dr. King’s life was saved at Harlem hospital. What are the stories of those doctors? What would have happened had Dr. King sneezed?

With this documentary, we seek to answer the question, Can Harlem stand tall and say that they saved the Civil Rights movement and preserved the life and legacy of our nations most celebrated Civil Rights leader?

  • Al Cohen
    Director
    When Harlem Saved A King
  • Janet Cohen
    Director
    When Harlem Saved A King
  • Al Cohen
    Producer
    When Harlem Saved A King
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 26 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    March 31, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    100,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Harlem Film Festival
    Harlem
    United States
    May 16, 2019
    Official Selection
  • New York Film Festival
    Manhattan
    United States
    May 11, 2019
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Al Cohen, Janet Cohen

A.L Cohen is the Founder and CEO of Jireh Management Group (JMG). He oversees the company’s diverse and valuable portfolio of business development services, media production, publications and strong brand representation across the entertainment industry.

With over 25 years of experience in leadership, Cohen masters the art of strategic thinking and the development of influential relationships. He is an industry leader who understands the benefits of the inclusion of high level public relation solutions, cohesive marketing and broad communication ranges to meet business objectives.

As the founder of JMG, Cohen aims to establish a global, significant and engaging presence within communities by using education as the core resource to bridging the gaps. Cohen has a sharp, cutting-edge mindset that influences behavior, change and motivates action. It is this internal commitment that has outwardly birthed Jireh Management Productions (JMP), the home of “When Harlem Saved a King”, a documentary which tells the story of the 1958 stabbing of Dr. Martin Luther King in Harlem, New York by a demented black woman. A story that brings awareness to a pivotal point in history and highlights mental illness which continues to be a disproportional community disparity.

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Director Statement

Changing History one story at a time